Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		2.5

Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 24, 2023

Sometimes the behind the scenes stories of what were essentially the straight to video productions of their day can be at least as entertaining as the films themselves, and in that regard, Arrow has aggregated some kind of sweet supplementary interviews with various people who were associated with Lovers Lane, a 1999 production that, if it's remembered at all, may be recalled for having offered Ana Faris her first big screen role. While the absence of either a singular or plural possessive "s" in the Lovers part of the film's title might have the potential to raise the ire of the grammar police, it may indicate a certain lo-fi approach to filmmaking which nonetheless had a bunch of people involved who knew they probably weren't creating Timeless Art, and went with what they had. This is just one of countless offerings that sprang up in the wake of Scream, albeit without that franchise's winking self awareness and with an arguably way overstuffed narrative that attempts to weave a bunch of disparate characters together in various convoluted ways, before, of course, dispatching several of them in semi-splatterific splendor.

Lovers Lane may strike some genre aficionados as a kind of paint by numbers approach toward a slasher film, and it perhaps predictably begins with a bunch of frisky young folks either having already met their fate or who are seemingly just about to, by a largely unseen assailant who seems to be brandishing a hook in the place of a hand. This vignette ostensibly takes place "thirteen years ago", and it ends with a Sheriff somewhat comically bringing his young daughter along to the crime scene, where they get to see one of the victims is/was their wife and mother, evidently hooking up with an extramarital affair partner, who is also slaughtered.

Fast forward thirteen years, and that little girl is now a teenager named Mandy (Erin Dean), who is still traumatized by events, even if her mother's killer, a madman named Ray Hennessey (Ed Bailey), has been apprehended and is ostensibly safely tucked away at the nearby looney bin (a technical term) under the watchful eye of psychiatrist Jack Grefe (Richard Sanders). Suffice it to say, Ray manages to escape, which is when not so coincidentally a whole new slew of semi-horrifying murders take place, several at the titular locale because what else are you going to do when you hear a local madman has escaped from the local mental institution but run right over to the scene of his ostensible long ago crimes.

Suffice it to say, all is of course not exactly as it seems with regard to the culprit, but that said, Lovers Lane arguably plays it too cute by half by having a reveal after the reveal which may have been intended to set up a sequel that never arrived. Without positing any outright spoilers, for any fans of WKRP in Cincinnati who may have thought Les Nessman was a little "off", if not sociopathic, this film may provide a little evidence for that assertion.

Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Lovers Lane is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with AVC encoded 1080p transfers in either 1.33:1 or 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:

Lovers Lane has been restored in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, in keeping with its straight to video release origins. The film is also presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Both versions are presented with stereo sound.

The original 35mm camera negative as scanned in 4K resolution at Company 3, Los Angeles. The film was graded and restored in 2K resolution at R3Store Studios, London. The original audio mix was remastered by MGM.

All materials for these new restorations were made available by MGM.

The main title has been graded to be presented in its original pink, as per the original materials.

I've uploaded screenshots in both aspect ratios to accompany this review, so that those interested can personally compare framings, but as with the recently reviewed Region B release of The Sunday Woman where I mentioned that some may understandably find an either/or issue with either not enough headspace or too much headspace at times, the same qualms may be evident here as well, though watching both versions nothing struck me as hugely problematic in either aspect ratio. Both versions offer a generally great reproduction of a nicely diverse palette, with primaries popping especially well. Detail levels may be marginally better in the 1.85:1 version if only because of a more "up close and personal" look to many of the framings, but they're secure in both versions. Both versions also offer some pretty obfuscated low light material at times, as can be seen, for example, in screenshots 10 and 18, among others. Grain spikes pretty noticeably in these darker moments, and can occasionally look splotchy and yellowish.

Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Lovers Lane features a robust LPCM 2.0 track. This was produced in Seattle during the late nineties, and some may have wished for some higher profile Pacific Northwest artists on the soundtrack, but there is some rambunctious material offered as source cues which adds some energy to the mix. There are some good ambient environmental effects as well in some of the outdoor material in particular. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with writer-producers Geof Miller and Rory Veal


• Screaming Teens: The Legacy of Lovers Lane (HD; 31:37) features some fun interviews with Geof Miller, Rory Veal, Matty Riedy and Carter Roy. It's kind of hard to believe Ana Faris didn't want to be included (and, yes, that's a joke).


• Trailer (HD; 1:55)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Additionally, Arrow is providing another nicely packaged release for the niche collector, with a reversible sleeve and a folded mini poster, along with their typically nicely appointed insert booklet with an essay by Linsday Hallam along with the typical assortment of cast and crew information, production credits and restoration data. Packaging features a nicely embossed slipcover.

Lovers Lane Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

My review frankly didn't even begin to address the sometimes labyrinthine ways various characters in this tale are interrelated, because it's all equally frankly kind of unnecessary. There are some good, if rote, aspects to this production, but it might have done better to have taken a more deliberately winking quality, since even some of its kill scenes may not be overly exciting. This is another cult release where memories of late night television viewings may evoke a certain wave of nostalgia which may help to dissipate any niggling qualms about actual competence and/or coherence of various aspects of the production. Arrow provides a release with solid technical merits and some enjoyable supplements, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.